--- description: Streetlights across much of Iceland's capital were switched off so citizens could make the most of the ethereal glow of the aurora borealis title: Lights Go Out in Iceland to Let Aurora Borealis Shine Bright image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf703da6f1c26083d/6988a826e20a8723c7a929a1/gettyimages-124736033.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Streetlights Go Out in Iceland to Let the Northern Lights Shine Bright by [Dominique Rowe](/author/dominique-rowe/) ## Dominique Rowe Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 30, 2016 6:02 AM CUT  Iceland, undated: The Aurora Borealis sit in stark contrast to the dramatic white backdrop of snow-covered Icelandic mountains. Iceland, undated: The Aurora Borealis sit in stark contrast to the dramatic white backdrop of snow-covered Icelandic mountains.Jonina G. Oskarsdottir/Barcroft Media—Getty Images by [Dominique Rowe](/author/dominique-rowe/) ## Dominique Rowe Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 30, 2016 6:02 AM CUT Streetlights across much of Iceland’s capital were switched off Wednesday night so its citizens could make the most of the otherworldly glow of the aurora borealis dancing in the sky above them — without the usual interference from light pollution. Lights in central Reykjavik and several outlying districts went out for about an hour at 10 p.m. local time, and residents were encouraged to turn off lights at home, the Iceland Monitor [reported](http://icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/nature%5Fand%5Ftravel/2016/09/28/reykjavik%5Fto%5Fswitch%5Foff%5Fstreet%5Flights%5Ffor%5Fnorthern%5F/ "undefined"). While those in Iceland can expect to see the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, at any time from September to May, high solar-particle activity combined with clear skies on Wednesday created unusually perfect conditions. The northern lights [are produced](http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-26381685 "undefined") when charged particles from the sun hit the earth’s atmosphere at the magnetic North and South Poles. The charged particles interact with the atmosphere, which can be seen as illuminating swathes of light. Many people posted breathtaking images to social media. > [](https://twitter.com/SteutenJohn/status/781215035691532288) > [](https://twitter.com/RustyBertrand/status/781291600123232257) Conditions were equally clear in several other countries, creating waves of aurora-based activity that could be seen in the north of the U.K and U.S. > [](https://twitter.com/bbcweather/status/781540809992699904) > [](https://twitter.com/mark%5Ftarello/status/781691760493854720) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4514167/iceland-aurora-borealis-northern-lights/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4514167/iceland-aurora-borealis-northern-lights/"},"headline":"Streetlights Go Out in Iceland to Let the Northern Lights Shine Bright","datePublished":"2016-09-30T06:02:08.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T00:56:06.162Z","description":"Those lucky enough to see the illumination posted stunning images on social media","url":"https://time.com/4514167/iceland-aurora-borealis-northern-lights/","keywords":["weather","Iceland"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf703da6f1c26083d/6988a826e20a8723c7a929a1/gettyimages-124736033.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Dominique Rowe","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/dominique-rowe/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf703da6f1c26083d/6988a826e20a8723c7a929a1/gettyimages-124736033.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Beautiful Northern Light Pictures Captured By Icelandic Photographer","caption":"Beautiful Northern Light Pictures Captured By Icelandic Photographer","creditText":"Jonina G. 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